News

Hicks: Ariel Winter's mother described as overbearing stage mom

By Tony Hicks,

Contra Costa Times

Posted:
11/12/2012 10:40:06 AM PST

Updated:
11/12/2012 10:57:21 AM PST

Ariel Winter's mother Chrystal Workman was an overbearing stage mom who constantly criticized Ariel and ordered her never to leave her side, says TMZ, quoting a source on the set of one of Ariel's recent movies.

An overbearing stage mom in Hollywood? Whoa. That's a new one ...

Ariel's 34-year-old sister Shanelle Gray took over temporary guardianship of Ariel on Oct. 3, after a judge heard allegations that Workman physically and emotionally abuses the 14-year-old actress. Workman denies the allegations, saying Ariel only sought new guardianship after her mother discovered her in bed with her 18-year-old boyfriend, Cameron Palatas.

According to Workman, Ariel only wanted out of her home so she could continue her relationship with Palatas.

Ariel filmed "The Chaperone" in June 2010, starring Triple H, the pro wrestler-turned actor. But according to a source who worked on the film, Workman acted like she was the star of the movie.

Workman allegedly had her own director's chair and listened to each take on her headphones, then frequently pulled her daughter aside to tell her what she did wrong.

If this is wrong, there's a lot of Little League parents out there who don't want to be right.

TMZ said Workman often told writers and the director what she thought of each scene, and went as far as to order around production assistants, making them fetch her food.

Well, even overbearing, abusive stage moms have to eat ...

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The film featured other child actors, with whom Ariel couldn't hang with because she wasn't allowed to leave her mother's side.

But the source said that while Workman was the stereotypical stage mom, they never witnessed serious abuse.

TMZ spoke with Workman's brother-in-law, who said Workman acted the same way with Ariel's sister Shanelle when she was growing up.

The brother-in-law says Workman was extremely hard on Gray, controlling what she ate and how she looked.

Ariel's grandfather, James Batistas, filed a letter to the court to vouch for Workman's character and parenting skills.

"I have never seen any abuse from my daughter or son-in-law towards my granddaughters neither physical nor emotionally," he wrote in the letter, obtained by TMZ, calling Workman "a very good mother to all the children."

Batistas also wrote that Gray came to live with him when she was 16 as well after she accused Workman of abuse.

Sources close to the family told TMZ Batistas actually has limited contact with his granddaughters, but is actually quite close with Workman.